Jim Calhoun Documentary: The Reel Is Surreal

Jim Calhoun

Karl Walter / Getty Images

The documentary "Born To Lead: Jim Calhoun" premieres on Thursday at the Bushnell in Hartford. It traces the Huskies' legendary coach from his childhood in Massachusetts to the Hall of Fame and beyond.

The documentary "Born To Lead: Jim Calhoun" premieres on Thursday at the Bushnell in Hartford. It traces the Huskies' legendary coach from his childhood in Massachusetts to the Hall of Fame and beyond. (Karl Walter / Getty Images)

During his 40 years of college coaching, Jim Calhoun lived in the moment with an eye on the future.

But a year into retirement, Calhoun is more comfortable recounting the past. A new documentary on the life of the former UConn men's basketball coach has provided him with an opportunity to stroll down memory lane without leaving his seat.

The film, "Born To Lead: Jim Calhoun," premieres Thursday at The Bushnell (7:30 p.m.). Calhoun was approached by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Chris Martens a year ago and was at first reticent, but Martens was persuasive.

"I thought it would be good to talk about leadership and maybe be inspirational for certain people," Calhoun said on a conference call with reporters Friday.

The film tells Calhoun's life story, from the kid in Braintree, Mass., to a Hall of Fame coach at UConn. Leadership is a theme and Calhoun's path is explored.

Was he a born leader or did he learn to lead after his father died and he became a wage-earner for his family as a teenager?

Calhoun said that may be up to viewers and the filmmakers to decide, but he did have certain messages in mind as the film was being made.

"I think the overall message is quite simply [about] conducting your life and impact upon others," Calhoun said. "The way you approach life, the way things happen in life … never giving up, never giving in. That type of thing."

Calhoun said he has not seen the final product, but did view the first cut of the film.

Calhoun, who retired as UConn coach in September 2012 after 26 seasons and three national championships, will do most of his work in Bristol, ESPN's home base, providing studio analysis, a network source, requesting anonymity,...

Calhoun, who retired as UConn coach in September 2012 after 26 seasons and three national championships, will do most of his work in Bristol, ESPN's home base, providing studio analysis, a network source, requesting anonymity,...

(DOM AMORE, damore@courant.com)

"It's surreal," Calhoun said. "That's a good word for it. Surreal in the sense of seeing your life being depicted. … It's a new and different feeling, that's for sure. You see pictures and I've been fortunate enough to have some tributes to me … but this is different, this is kind of live reel actually going.

"If you look at me as a stonecutter in Quincy, Massachusetts, at 18 or look at me standing on the podium getting the championship ring or [at] the Final Four or the Hall of Fame. All those things are part of the motion picture."

The filmmakers brought Calhoun to Madison Square Garden, where he talked about the Big East tournament. There are interviews with his wife and sister, his former players such as Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton and current UConn coach Kevin Ollie, and coaching adversaries such as Jim Boeheim and MIke Krzyzewski.

"Hearing guys you have incredible respect for, guys you've competed incredibly hard against, to have them speaking … I think it gives you a chance to put it in perspective," Calhoun said.

Retirement has enabled Calhoun to put his career and life into perspective. The film is another part of that process, a process he would not be engaging if he were still coaching.

"If today I was sitting in Gampel Pavilion ready to go to the new [training] center, have the kids work out … I'd be thinking about the early schedule, I'd be thinking about Puerto Rico, I'd be thinking about SMU, Cincinnati, teams in the league, I'd be thinking about Duke and all the other various things," Calhoun said. "I would not be thinking about last year, I would not be thinking about five years ago. I would only be thinking about what we need to do this year."

As for this year, Calhoun is venturing into a new world. He signed a contract with ESPN and will be working as an in-studio analyst during the basketball season.

Calhoun said he has many friends in Bristol and looks forward to his new role. He had an opportunity to do TV work last year, but wanted to enjoy his first winter of retirement.